Long Run

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“Hey, which one of you is going to attend the Showdown Event?” Lucas scanned across the teenagers on the  beach, his plain button up shirt blowing with the window as he stood at a side of the magic circle created by their seating arrangement. “As a matter of fact, I would be attending and it would be nice to know those of us who would also be there.” He included, looking all smug.

Several eyes turned to look in his direction. Everyone from Ana's class was present, the gathering was supposed to be their reunion before they went to college but somehow, everyone was only bothered by the Showdown Event. “Ana's dad got invited so…I’m guessing she's going to be there too.” Carson, a boy with corn wheat hair that falls below his chin said, his voice creating a wave in the hearts of many girls around while he casually winked at them, causing their hearts to race but unlike these girls, some seemed unmoved.

“Of course, she'd be there. Everyone was invited, just that a few parents are quite strict.” Nova sighed as she kicked back, sipping from a plastic cup. A girl with golden and wine hair turned to look in her direction, her eyes contained a mix of unknown emotions, somewhat like a sigh heaved when one has no choice left.

“What do you intend to say?” The golden haired girl turned to look at who spoke, it was Elias, a close friend of Nova. Apparently, he seemed to be the other person who understood the meaning behind Nova's statement. On realising he was being watched, he turned a calm look at the golden haired girl with an eyebrow raised —making her shrug her shoulder as if unaffected— before looking away to face Nova with all seriousness.

The golden haired girl nearly chuckled, not everyone understood Nova Liam the way she does except Elias. Since she has been best friends with Nova, she had known that Nova had a strange personality coupled with a weirdly functioning mindset. Nova sees things differently from everyone else and she has been unable to comprehend the use of jokes to create humor, one could say she was simple-minded.

“I wish I could be there too, Ana.” Nova stared ahead, looking lost. “But my mum would want me anywhere but a place stuffed with older adults, talking about things grown-ups do. I mean, who hasn’t heard of adult stuff before?” She retracted her eyes as she stared amusingly at the rest of the lads seated.

“Even still, knowing much adult stuff doesn't seem to be the issue. She might just not want you there.” Elias took his time to explain to her, he knew she wouldn't be able to comprehend what her mum had meant and since he had the chance to explain, he would gladly do so. In his eyes, a glimmer of light flashed, barely escaping Ana's sight. She couldn't help but want to smack his face.

“Either way, I still won't be attending.” Nova dropped the cup in her hands to the ground, appearing rather amused than sad even when she was certain that she wouldn’t be attending that event but so long her best friend would be there, she would definitely get to hear all the juicy details. “So Ana, what do you think?” Nova rested her chin in between her palms.

“The Showdown event…” Ana, the golden haired girl began, “It doesn't sound all that bit interesting. Just a bunch of randomly unknown adults walking around in a hall at the Silver House, it’s more of a seminar than a banquet they proposed since they would be mainly discussing about the root cause of leverage and I think I heard my dad say there would be a group of Leverage Extirpation Committee present to admit more members. There you have it, nothing interesting about that except you know you've got friends there to talk with.” She raised her lowered eyes only to find Lucas staring intensely at her with a half grin on his face. She scoffed, Lucas knew nothing but to chase anything in a skirt but now that she thinks about it, she was not wearing a skirt nor had she ever worn one before, yet he always has that foolish grin on his face whenever he looks at her. Later, she was planning on asking him why.